Sometimes the best ideas are borrowed straight from nature! This week's feel-good story is about an Australian invention that's the science of rising bubbles to clean PFAS (forever chemicals), out of water, and it's just been honoured with an international award.

The company behind it, EPOC Enviro, has just taken out the 2026 CARE Award for its Surface Active Foam Fractionation technology, known as SAFF, at the 11th International CleanUp Conference in Adelaide.

First, What Are PFAS and Why Are They Called Forever Chemicals?

PFAS is a group of over 10,000 synthetic substances, designed for durability but at a hefty cost to health and environment. The Australian Government explains they earned their nickname because they're highly persistent, can move long distances in the environment.

Exposure to PFAS has been linked to hormone disruption, reduced fertility, weakened immune systems, and even cancer. A study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found PFAS in the blood of 97% of Americans. They’re in the non-stick pans, fire-fighting foams, food packaging, cosmetics, waterproof clothing, and even stain-resistant carpets that we encounter every day. 

Which is exactly why cleaning them up matters.

So, How Does This Award Winning Foam Clean Water?

It's a clever bit of borrowed nature. As EPOC Enviro's General Manager Jay Howland puts it, "we observed how rising air bubbles in a body of water create foam." SAFF uses those rising bubbles to pull PFAS out of the water, then concentrates them using nothing more than aeration and clever design, with no consumables like ion exchange resin or activated carbon. It's a bubbly bit of brilliance (sorry, I couldn't resist).

Howland is clear that PFAS remediation "is not simply about making PFAS disappear." The foam shrinks the PFAS down into very small volumes, which then still need to be managed or destroyed.

How Many Sites Are Using SAFF Around the World?

It's come quite far, for a technology that started in 2015. There are now 50 full-scale systems across 75 sites on four continents, and together they've treated more than 2 billion litres of PFAS-impacted water. EPOC Enviro also secured an Australian patent, following US approval, and has systems working in Oakey, Queensland and Shoalhaven, New South Wales. Managing Director Peter Murphy called it "a fantastic step forward for our little Aussie company."

What Could Come Next?

Here's where it gets really interesting. In May, EPOC Enviro announced a sewage PFAS trial at an Australian wastewater treatment facility. Bench-scale testing removed more than 97 per cent of PFAS from the water phase, and Murphy noted that removing PFAS from sewage "has long been considered an intractable problem."

That said, it's early days. The trial was still under way when it was announced, so we'll keeping a close eye on this one. 

I often say that when we know better, we can do better. None of us can fix this alone (and we don't have to), but it's great to know clever Aussie minds are working on the big stuff while we get on with the small swaps.

Many of the everyday products PFAS have been used in, like non-stick cookware, food containers and cosmetics, are things we can choose differently when it's time to replace them. If you're ready to make some PFAS-free swaps, check out our toxin-free range of cookware, food storage and makeup. 

Ready for another feel-good story? Check out our blog here about the 2026 Clean + Conscious winners!

With love,
Ellie x

Ready to Learn More?

If you'd ready to dig deeper into PFAS and what goes into the everyday products we use, check out our other blogs below:

🍓 Isocycloseram Explained: Why This "Forever Chemical" on Berries Has Everyone Talking - What this PFAS pesticide is, why it's controversial, and practical ways to reduce your exposure.

💚 How We Make Sure Every Product at Go For Zero Is Truly Toxin-Free (And Why We're So Passionate About It) - A look at how we review every ingredient and why this mission is so personal to us.

👏 How to Avoid PFAS and Microplastics in Lunch Boxes - Practical tips for reducing exposure at lunchtime, plus safer alternatives to try.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are PFAS and why are they called forever chemicals?

PFAS are synthetic chemicals used in products like fire-fighting foams, non-stick cookware and food packaging since the 1950s. They're called forever chemicals because they're highly persistent and resist breaking down in the environment.

How does surface active foam fractionation (SAFF) work?

SAFF uses rising air bubbles to create foam that separates PFAS from water, concentrating them into very small volumes for further management or destruction. It works without consumables like ion exchange resin or activated carbon.

Who won the 2026 CARE Award for PFAS cleanup?

EPOC Enviro won the 2026 CARE Award from crcCARE for its SAFF technology, presented at the 11th International CleanUp Conference in Adelaide. The award recognises innovative technologies for assessing and remediating environmental contamination.

Where is SAFF being used around the world?

SAFF is in use across 50 full-scale systems at 75 sites on four continents, with Australian systems operating in Oakey, Queensland and Shoalhaven, New South Wales. Together they have treated more than 2 billion litres of PFAS-impacted water.

Can foam fractionation treat PFAS in sewage?

EPOC Enviro is trialling it at an Australian wastewater treatment facility, with bench-scale testing removing more than 97 per cent of PFAS from the water phase. The trial was still under way when announced in May 2026.